


The Dog Days are Over

by appledotango



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Depression, F/M, Romance, Slice of Life, but know it's coming, but y'all will have to wait for that, eventually I will get to some domestic ass Shane and Piper, more tags will be added as I continue writing!, rating may change if I can write a good chapter, thematic music titles! yay, with some kids and lots of animals
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-07
Updated: 2017-10-12
Packaged: 2018-10-15 22:16:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10558590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/appledotango/pseuds/appledotango
Summary: "Leave all of your love and your longing behind, you can't carry it with you if you want to survive."Piper moves to quaint Stardew Valley for a desperately needed fresh start, and fumbles her way through her new life as the owner of her grandfather's farm. The ever-moody Shane catches her attention, much to his ire, and she becomes fascinated by the man who won't open up to anyone.This story serves two purposes: one to chronicle the life of one of my adorable little farmers, and two to fulfill my thirst for romance (basically).





	1. Joja: The Dog Days are Over

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! This is my first fanfic in over 5 years, so please be gentle, but don't hesitate with the constructive criticism! I am thinking of having this be fic where the POV changes every so often, but I'm not so sure! Maybe have a Piper 80% and others as a supplement to the existing narrative? Let me know what you think!

*ding*

Piper's daydream was interrupted by an email notification from her dingy old computer. Joja Corp. With a small sigh, she clicked on the email and waited for it to load. She drummed her fingers on her mouse as she went through her mental list of reasons why she would have been getting an email.

Performance? No, she was consistently one of the better sales representatives for her team. Attendance? Once again, no, she never missed a day of work, even as badly as she needed a day to decompress.

After what felt like eons, the email loaded and Piper quickly scanned through it. A new sales quota to meet weekly? 'There's no way I can make this while having a good conscience...I already hate to bother others, this is just ridiculous.' She thought as she continued reading. How could a business run like this? To Joja, its employees were nothing more than drones, they could care less what they had to do as long as they made a sale.

With a huff of frustration, Piper pushed back from her desk and stood, her eyes just grazing the tops of the endless cubicles that stretched before her. A few curious eyes glanced her way, but then quickly returned to their screens. The warehouse was quiet, minus the drone of hundreds of computers quietly whizzing and a few employees making hushed phone calls.

Piper looked down at her desk and eyed the two small photos taped to the side of her monitor. One in particular caught her eye: a photograph of her and her grandfather taken years ago on his farm. The photograph triggered a memory she had honestly completely forgotten about until now.

_Her family sat around a table, silent as the lawyer slowly read over the will for the family's late grandfather. They were mostly through the will, and Piper had been staring listlessly at her feet, lost in thought._

_"...Piper." Her head snapped up at the mention of her name. The lawyer watched her with gentle eyes and waited for her attention before reading the paper before him._

_"And for my very special granddaughter, I want you to have this sealed envelope." With that, the lawyer slid an old, yellowed envelope across the table towards her. Piper picked it up gently and her fingers began to slowly work at the purple wax seal on the back._

_"No, don't open it yet...have patience." Piper looked up once again, confused and slightly offended at the lawyer. "That's what it says here, look." The lawyer said with a light chuckle and flashed the letter to her. Piper let out a weak laugh as she read her grandfather's distinguished chicken-scratch. The lawyer then continued to read._

_"Now listen close. There will come a day when you feel crushed by the burden of modern life, and your bright spirit will fade before a growing emptiness. When that happens, my girl, you will be ready for this gift."_

Piper quietly slid open her desk drawer after making one final glance up at her supervisors and the camera attached to the top of her cubicle. She pulled out the letter carefully and broke the seal on the letter and pulled out a few sheets of paper. She scanned the documents, and as she did, her eyes widened and her spirits lifted for the first time in what felt like months.

Steeling her resolve, Piper pressed the button on her desk that signaled for a connection with her supervisor while she tucked her photographs and the letter into her back pockets.

"Yes Piper?" the disinterested voice buzzed out to her.

"Hi, yes, I quit," Piper said as she took a deep breath and shut down her computer before turning and walking towards the exit. Not once did she turn back.


	2. New Beginnings: (Un) Lost

Piper nervously ran her hands along the sides of her suitcase for what felt like the hundredth time in the last hour. She looked down at the one large suitcase to remind her of everything she was leaving behind. Her room at home still housed many of her old keepsakes, and her parents promised that her things would always be there for her, should her plan not work out the way she wanted to. She could have brought more, but she felt like her new start should be just that: new and fresh.

Under her arm was a new book on the basics of farming that her dad had sent her off with as she hopped on the bus towards Stardew Valley. She had glanced through it on her ride, but she was truthfully too anxious to concentrate too much on it, and before she knew it, the bus driver was calling her name for her stop.

So here she stood, in a new town with only a suitcase of clothes and other small belongings to her name, quietly waiting for someone to arrive to pick her up. As if right on cue, a tall woman with auburn hair tied up into a ponytail stepped towards her with a friendly smile on her face.

"Hi! You must be Piper. My name is Robin, the local carpenter. Mayor Lewis sent me to come fetch you and show you to your new farm. He's there now, so why don't we go meet him? Follow me!" Robin said as she extended a hand to Piper to shake.

Piper grasped it with a small smile, noting how tough and strong her hands were. Guess that is what years of carpentry would do to you. "Yeah, sure sounds good," Piper said and followed Robin down the path to her new home, her suitcase quietly bumping along the path behind her.

As soon as the farm came into her view, Piper's heart sank. Her vision of a neatly manicured farm was shattered as soon as she laid eyes on the overgrown, gnarled mess. Robin must have noticed, because she turned and gave her a soft smile.

"I know it looks like a mess, but there is some good soil under all of this debris. With a little love, you will have it cleaned up in no time!" She said optimistically. At least one of them was thinking on the bright side, Piper noted, and quickly shook her head. No need to be negative, she was starting fresh after all.

"It's just....not what I was expecting is all. Guess I let my imagination get a little carried away. This farm has been unoccupied for a few years now, I suppose." Piper shrugged, offering a small, sheepish smile to Robin.

Just then, an older man with an impeccable mustache stumbled out of the old house, coughing lightly. Robin and Piper both turned to look at the man in surprise. When their eyes connected, the man rushed over to Piper and pulled her into a tight embrace.

Piper let out a small oof in surprise as the man squeezed her. "Piper! So nice to finally meet you! I'm sure you don't remember me too well, but I sure do remember you! Although, you were significantly younger last time we met!"

Piper eyed the man quickly after he pulled away, and suddenly her eyes lit up in recognition. "Mayor Lewis! How could I forget you! My grandfather sends his regards, by the way." Piper beamed. She was thankful for one familiar face in this strange environment, even if they hadn't seen each other in over 10 years.

"You know, Piper, everyone in town has been asking about you! It's not every day that someone new moves into town, this is a big deal!" Lewis laughed and looked to Robin, who nodded. "It's been quite a few years, actually!" She added with a light laugh. Piper smiled, although she was a but nervous meeting new people. What if she didn't meet their expectations? She was just a 22 year old college graduate who didn't know what she was getting herself into, after all.

"Anyway, this is your new home! It has a bit of a 'rustic' charm, wouldn't you say? I will admit that it is a bit dusty, I tried to make it look presentable for you!" Lewis turned to the house proudly, and Piper followed suit. From behind her, Robin piped up, "'Rustic?' I would say 'crusty' if it were me. We could always fix this thing up though, don't you worry about that!"

Lewis shot her a mock glare, "Don't let her fool you, Piper. She just wants you to buy one of her house upgrades. It has its own charm, and her upgrades will be waiting for you whenever you are ready, no rush."

"Hey, I have to get business somehow!" Robin laughed, and Piper couldn't help but smile at their playful banter. "Well, we will just leave you to it! Take some time to get acquainted with your new home, and try to stop into town and meet some of the residents! They are eager to meet you!" Lewis reminded gently and gestured to what Piper could only guess was the direction of the rest of the town.

Piper waved goodbye to both Lewis and Robin as they turned and left down the road, and once they were out of sight she turned to haul her suitcase into her new home. She winced a bit as the stairs creaked below her and she prayed to Yoba that today would not be the day they buckled. Thankfully her first journey into her house was safe, and she set her suitcase down in the center of the room and took a good look around her new home.

For starters, it was larger than her room at her parent's house, which would be a welcome change for Piper once she found more things to fill her home. For now though, the cabin was empty, and the thought made her heart ache with loneliness. She had only been in the town for a few minutes and she was already doubting her decision to leave everything behind. Was this the right choice after all?

Piper shook her head lightly and gave her face a few light taps as if to shake herself from her momentary funk. Dwelling on the "could-have-been's" was a disaster waiting to happen, and Piper needed to remind herself of that as often as she needed. So instead of moping, Piper opened her suitcase and set to work to make her new home her own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Pleaseleave feedback, I'd love to hear from you! :)
> 
> Song in the title is (Un) Lost by The Maine. Pretty fitting song for this fic if I were to say!


	3. Farming 101: Marchin' On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Title song is Marchin' On by One Republic, this one was stupid hard to find for some reason lol

Farming was no joke. Piper didn't think she was that out of shape, but her first full day on the farm told her otherwise.

She had awoken from her new bed to find a neatly wrapped box on her table. She must have missed it yesterday, seeing as she was exhausted and overwhelmed. She opened the box to find all of the essentials she would need to start out accompanied by a note from Lewis.

She stepped outside, awkwardly carrying the hoe and parsnip seeds with her. She stuck out like a sore thumb and she was silently thankful that no one was there to judge her. She tried her best to recall what she had skimmed yesterday on the train, and went to work planting her first ever crop.

It took her longer than she expected, as she was careful to cover every seed gingerly and water every inch of soil, just to be sure. By the time she was done, her arms were screaming and she was covered in a mixture of dirt and sweat.

Piper headed back into her house to quickly rinse her face of mud and sweat before looking herself in the mirror.

"Alright Piper, you can do this. Go introduce yourself and just be as genuine as you can. Fresh start." She talked to herself in the mirror, only feeling a little silly in the process. Piper picked up the small backpack she had thankfully remembered to pack and stuck her farming book as well as her coin pouch in the compartment and slung it over her shoulders. She graduated not too long ago, but the feeling of a backpack on her back was still something was something she figured she would never miss. It was odly comforting in a way to have a small feeling of home here. She closed the door to her cabin and headed towards town.

 

By the time she arrived in the square, it was almost noon, and people were out and about enjoying the wonderful weather. Piper headed towards the building marked "general store" and pushed open the doors, figuring it was as good a place as any to start.

Once inside, a few heads turned in her direction and they stopped once they noticed a new face. Piper's heart launched into he throat as she suddenly forgot the pep talk she gave herself not long ago.

"Uh, hi, I'm Piper," she managed to squeak out. "I moved onto the old farm yesterday and Lewis suggested I come meet you guys. He said you were expecting me and I wanted to introduce myself." She was rambling and she knew it, but she couldn't seem to stop herself as she scanned the room and made eye contact with each customer.

A woman placed her goods back on the shelf and stepped towards her, encompassing Piper's outstretched hand in both of hers. "Piper! It's wonderful to meet you! My name is Marnie, and I run the ranch just south of your farm. If you are even in the market for some farm animals to keep you occupied, just stop on by! Or if you just want to chat!" Marnie beamed at Piper warmly, gently shaking her small hand.

All of Piper's nervousness melted away as she listened to each resident quickly introduce their self with a genuine smile before returning to their errands. 'Everyone in this town is so nice, and they are all genuinely happy to meet me.' Piper mused unable to wipe the smile off of her face.

She stepped up to the counter where Pierre, who owned the store as she just learned, was waiting with a warm smile. "I know Lewis got you started with some parsnips, but is there anything else you would like to try growing? How comfortable are you with farming?" Pierre asked.

Piper smiled awkwardly and drummed her fingers on the counter softly. "I don't really have any experience at all. Well, except for this book. I was kind of hoping you would have some suggestions or tips for me?" Piper reached into her bag and pulled out the book that her dad bought for her. Pierre slid it over the counter towards him and glanced through it. 

"This book has some pretty good advice actually, I'd sit down and read it if you haven't already. As for tips, parsnips are a good starting crop, seeing as they don't take long til they are ready to be harvested. Perhaps potatoes would be a good second crop for you?"

Piper nodded along as Pierre spoke. She did enjoy potato dishes, but she however didn't exactly have a place to cook yet. "Yeah, I'm open to the idea of that." She reached into her backpack as Pierre went to fetch her the seeds. After paying Pierre and tucking her seeds into her bag, Piper waved a quick goodbye to the residents she had chatted with and pushed open the doors to head to the next location.

  
Piper spent a little over an hour making conversation with whoever she could find in the town square before heading back to the farm. Pam had informed her to stop by the saloon later at night to meet more of the town, and since it was a Friday night, she was bound to meet more people that were busy this afternoon.

Piper busied herself for the next few hours by slowly beginning to clear out her farm, starting by her house. Splitting logs wasn't as easy as it looked on TV, and smashing rocks with her pick axe made her whole body vibrate with each blow. Without realizing it, the sun had already begun setting, casting her farm in a warm red glow. Piper stood up to admire how much she had gotten done in a few short hours. She picked up the last of her broken rocks and set them in one of the few awkward piles behind her house. 'I need a chest of some sort eventually,' she noted. Piper headed inside to change into a clean pair of clothes. She eyed the potato seeds she had placed on her table, reminding herself to plant those first thing in the morning. After she was sure she was as clean as she was going to get, Piper headed out of her cabin towards the saloon to meet more of the town.


	4. Awkward Encounters - Lost it to Trying

Piper stood in front of the door to the saloon, one hand on the handle, taking a moment to prepare herself for more awkward introductions. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy it, but by nature she was an introvert, so staring conversations with so many people was pretty exhausting.  
  
"Uh, hi, excuse me." Piper turned around, red with embarrassment as she realized she had been blocking the door for a few moments. She made eye contact with a man around her age with spiky blonde hair.  
  
"Oh! I'm so sorry, let me get out of your way," Piper stammered out quickly and moved to get out of his way. In her haste, her foot caught on the step and she staggered back and landed hard on her butt. Upon impact, she let out a loud groan of pain. As if she wasn't sore enough already, she would be feeling this in the morning.  
  
The man in front of her quickly raised a hand to his mouth to cover his surprise, but he then began to giggle softly. Piper's head snapped up, mortified that her first impression with him had already gone so badly. When she looked up, she saw an outstretched hand, which she gratefully took and hoisted herself to her feet.  
  
"I'm Sam. You must be the new girl that everyone has been talking so much about. Piper right?" Sam brushed his hand on his pants, removing the dirt Piper had left by accident. Noticing this, she sheepishly wiped her hands on the back of her jeans.

"Yeah, how did you know my name?"  
  
"You met my mom earlier today, Jodi, and she really hasn't stopped talking about you," Sam shrugged and gestured towards the door to the saloon. Piper followed him into the lively bar, taking a moment to adjust to the bright lights, the welcoming smells, and the noise of the laughter and music. She was embarrassed as hell, but she tried her best to not let it show too much.  
  
"Have you met Seb or Abigail yet?" Sam asked, and Piper shook her head no. "Come over here then," Sam gestured over to a pool table nestled in the far corner of the saloon, where two other people stood, chattering as they set up the game.  
  
Piper followed Sam through the bar. He called out to them, and they looked up to greet Sam with a smile, but then quickly looked at Piper in confusion.  
  
"Hey guys, I ran into the new farmer girl outside of the saloon. Figured you hadn't met her yet," Sam explained and turned to Piper to let her continue.  
  
"Oh, um, yeah I'm Piper. I moved onto the farm yesterday, it used to be my grandfathers. It's nice to meet you guys!" She said as she stepped out from behind Sam, extending a hand first to the girl before her.  
  
"Hi Piper! Abigail." She shook her hand vigorously. Piper couldn't help but stare at her vibrant lavender hair and wish her blonde hair wasn't quite so plain. 

She then turned to the man with the dark hair and extended the same hand to him, which he shook quickly. "Sebastian."  
  
She made some quick small talk with the three before leaving them to their game of pool. She made her way around the saloon, talking to those she had already met, and meeting a few new faces.  
After an hour, she wandered up to the register to order something. As she fished out her wallet, the jolly man behind the counter beamed at her. "Put away your money miss, first drink is on the house! Name's Gus."  
  
Piper smiled in return and thanked him for his generosity before moving down the bar to drink her beer in silence.  
  
Piper simply sat and sipped on her beer for a while, watching the residents interact like normal. She suddenly felt a pang of homesickness, which she chased away by downing the rest of her drink. When she set her drink down, she noticed a figure in a tattered hoodie drinking a beer by the fire. She stood up and made her way over to the last resident she had yet to meet.  
  
"Hi, I'm Piper, I just moved into the old farm yesterday. Just wanted to introduce myself!" She smiled and extended a hand, much like she had with everyone else. The man eyed her hand, looked at Piper, and downed his beer before setting it on the counter and brushing past her and out the door. On his way out, Piper could see Marnie stand up and shout after him. "Shane! Shane, come back here!"  
  
She could only stand there, numb to what had just happened. The saloon had quieted down after Marnie shouted after Shane, and now all eyes were on her. The tips of her ears burned with embarrassment and tears pricked at her eyes. She was doing so well today, too, what had she done wrong? Piper blinked back the tears and put on the best smile she could muster and headed out of the saloon as nonchalantly as she could and then rushed home for the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title song is Lost it to Trying (Paper Towns Remix) - Son Lux. Incredible song, check it out below!  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqtdtJq1I_Q&list=LLf95QDGUfIg5SvRuEi_w9sQ&index=23


	5. Turning Points: Still Breathing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long to update! I'm a very busy gal with college and work and a little family. 
> 
> This one is a bit longer to compensate, so I hope you enjoy the drama!

Chapter 5: Turning Points

Weeks passed and Piper finally felt like she was settling down into a routine on her farm. Each day she woke up less sore than the day before it, and to her, that was a huge accomplishment. She harvested her first ever crop, and couldn't help but run the parsnip over to Lewis to proudly show him her accomplishments, to which she received a pat on the head.

She was slowly but surely making friends with all of the residents also. Well, minus Shane. As hard as she tried, Shane refused to even entertain the thought of them being acquaintances. She tried her best to not let it get her down, but deep down it stung. She could still recall the hot embarrassment she felt after his first rejection, and each of the following were no less severe.

She found herself once again at the Stardrop after a long day of clearing out her field. She absentmindedly twirled her spaghetti on the fork in her hand, lost in thought. Her head jerked up as she heard the door open. Shane walked in and met Piper's bewildered stare, which caused her to drop the fork on the plate. She looked down, red with embarrassment as the fork clinked loudly on the plate.

'Good,' Shane thought. He wasn't ready to deal with another onslaught of advances from the farmer today. He had come to the saloon to drink away the hellish day he had just finished, just like every other day before it. He managed to get two beers deep before he noticed the farmer making his way to him. Shane groaned internally and kept his eyes down, avoiding the farmer's gaze.

Piper stopped in front of him, her heart anxiously pounding. She took a quiet deep breath and spoke. "Look, Shane, I know you don't want to be my friend. I don't know why, and I won't ask. I just don't want you to hate me, so if it's something I've done please let me know. Here." She let out quickly and thrusted a beer in his direction.

Shane looked up in surprise, just now noticing that the beer he held was empty. He set his mug down on the counter, which Emily quietly retrieved, so as not to interfere. Shane accepted the beer as he struggled for something to say. "Uh, thanks for the beer. I appreciate it a lot. I don't hate you," he muttered simply and put the beer to his mouth to end the conversation.

Piper took the hint, thankfully, but he couldn't stop his heart from jumping in his chest when he saw her eyes light up with relief. She nodded to him with a smile and turned on her heel to leave the saloon.

Piper had a pep in her step, and it did not go unnoticed by Marnie and Lewis, who shared a knowing look to each other as she walked out the door.

\----- 

Spring seemed to fly by for Piper, who found herself busy every moment of her waking hours. Before she realized it, she was checking her mail and getting notice of her first town festival from Mayor Lewis.

Dear Piper,  
Tomorrow we're holding the Egg Festival in the town square.  
You should arrive between 9AM and 2PM if you'd like to attend.  
You wouldn't want to miss the annual egg hunt!  
\- Mayor Lewis

Piper grinned to herself and stuck the letter in the back pocket of her overalls and turned just in time to see a dog happily bounding towards her. Following the enthused dog was a slightly less enthused Marnie, who seemed to be out of breath.

Piper knelt down to ruffle the dog's chest as she waited for Marnie to catch her breath before speaking.

"Good morning Piper! I found this dog sitting outside the entrance to your farm. Think it's a stray, poor thing!" Marnie said and gestured to the medium sized dog Piper was already doting on.

"Say, it looks like he is pretty happy here. Don't you think your farm could use a good farm dog?" Marnie mused, to which Piper nodded vigorously.

"If no one else will take him, I would be more than happy to! I love animals so much Marnie!" Piper couldn't hide the excitement in her voice as she lovingly squished the dog's face. "I was starting to get lonely out here by myself, this is the best thing that's happened since I moved here!"

Well, one of the best thing things, Piper thought as she recalled the night Shane finally allowed her to talk to him. Something about that night made her so giddy that she couldn't help but grin widely.

"Well, congratulations on your new dog Piper! Since you love animals so much, you should stop by my farm someday and adopt even more animals! After you build them a home of course!" Marnie winked at Piper, who gestured to the side of her house with her thumb at the ever growing pile of lumber, rocks, and other miscellaneous building materials.

"Already on it! Robin will be out here in a day or two to start the construction of my first coop! Took most of the money I've made so far plus a little from my parents, but I say it's worth it!"

Marnie clapped in excitement and took Piper's hands in hers. "I am so excited for you! I can't wait to help you pick out a new family member or two!" Marnie laughed at Piper's thrilled expression. She looked as if she would explode at any moment from sheer joy.

"Well, I'll let you get acquainted with your pup and get back to work, I have some things to take care of myself! Feel free to stop by the farm if you have any free time! Shane is off for the day."

Piper looked up from her dog in surprise. "O-okay, noted! I'll try to stop by then!" Piper stammered and turned her attention back to the dog. Why had her cheeks flushed? Did Marnie notice? Yoba, she hoped not.

But of course she did. Marnie chuckled quietly and smiled knowingly before giving the dog a final pat on the head and heading back towards her ranch.

"Alright, you need a name." Piper told the dog as he studied her face intently. Piper stood and brought her watering can to the dog bowl that had been conveniently left at her house from her grandfather. The dog followed and happily drank from the bowl as Piper watched him, searching her brain for a fitting name for the fawn medium-sized mutt.

"Murphy?" The dog looked up at Piper, wagging his tail expectantly. "Murphy it is then." Piper smiled and rubbed the dog's ears. "Alright bud, I need to get some work done. Feel free to explore, this is your home too now."

It was still early, so Piper had plenty of time to harvest the potatoes and parsnips that were ready and water the ones that were not. For the most part, Murphy had followed her and did his best not to get in her way too much.

Piper pulled up a rather disappointingly small parsnip and sighed. While most of her crop was pretty decent, the small ones always made her sad. She cared for each of her plants and wanted to see them grow into a big healthy crop. No matter, this was the only small one from today's harvest, she thought. As she stood and mused about her crop, Murphy had snuck up behind her and sniffed in the direction of the baby parsnip.

"Hm, do dogs like parsnips? Guess I'll find out." Piper spoke aloud and used her axe to cut the parsnip into a smaller, manageable chunk for the dog.

"Can you sit?" On cue, Murphy sat, his tail wagging furiously and throwing dirt in a wide radius as he waited for his treat. Piper smiled at the dog and gently fed it to him. While he eagerly crunched on the parsnip, Piper rubbed his head happily.

Piper continued to work on cleaning out her farm for the rest of the evening, stopping occasionally to toss a stick for Murphy. She was tired, but felt great for the first time in a while. Murphy had really energized her.

Instead of calling it a night, she instead unloaded all of her equipment into one of her chests and pulled out a small but sharp sword, a pick axe, and a few field snacks and headed off towards the mines.  
\---

Shane enjoyed the sound of the rain. Something about it calmed the knot in his gut a little bit, and for that he was grateful. The residents preferred to stay indoors, which was another added bonus for Shane, as he was able to take a night walk without having the guilt of ignoring someone.

It was the third rainy day of spring, but with the weather changing so much, it may as well have been a refreshing summer rain. Shane stood up from his perch under a pine tree to retrieve the empty beer cans at his feet. He checked his watch, 12:00 am.  
'I don't have to work tomorrow morning, which is a first, so I better enjoy this while I can," Shane mused to himself. He slipped the empty cans in the trash and flipped his hood over his head before jamming his hands into his pockets and heading out for his walk.

He had been wandering aimlessly before he found himself north of town in the mountains. He rarely ever came up here, which was a shame because it was a breathtaking sight. It was so quiet, and if it weren't for the rain, Shane would bet he could see the stars beautifully. He made his way around the lake, taking his time to take in the sights where no one could interrupt him.

He was nearing the entrance to the old mines when he heard a bloodcurdling scream which made his blood run cold. His head whipped towards the ominous entrance, and after a few moments of debating, Shane rushed inside of the cavern. What he saw made his heart drop into a pit.

Piper stumbled out of the rickety old elevator, bloody and covered in bruises. She made eye contact with Shane for a brief second before falling to the ground with a low thud.

Shane hadn't moved that fast for as long as he could remember, but before he knew it he was at her side, brushing the hair from her face.

"Piper! Piper, hey, open your eyes for me!" Shane was trembling with fear as he tried his best to get the small girl to open her eyes. As he cradled her, he could start to see the true extent of her injuries. What the hell was down there?! The town knew it was dangerous, but no one knew why. After an excruciating few moments, Piper's eyes finally fluttered open. She looked up to Shane and offered a weak smile at him before her eyes began to close again. ".....so..tired.." He heard her mumble softly.

"No, no...No sleeping right now Piper. Come on, let's go." Shane's panic reignited when she wouldn't open her eyes again. He took a deep breath in an attempt to calm his nerves before scooping up Piper and standing up. She was small, but that didn't necessarily mean she was light, Shane noted as he quickly made his way out of the mines and towards town.

On his way, he counted the rise and fall of her chest and he quickened his pace. He finally arrived at Harvey's office, which was locked of course. Shane kicked the door hard three times in order to get Harvey's attention.

"God, Harvey please hurry. Hey, farmer, stay with me here." Shane spoke quietly as he gently shook the girl in his arms. He could feel her stir, which was a sign as good as any, and he looked to the door impatiently. He was about to start kicking again when Harvey opened the door, very clearly still half asleep and suffering from some extreme bedhead. It took his brain a moment to register the scene before him, but in an instant Harvey was awake and ushering the pair into the clinic and out of the rain. Harvey began flipping on lights as he led Shane into a room.

"Shane? What happened to her? Why are you two out so late?" Harvey questioned as he pulled out numerous pieces of medical equipment after washing his hands.

"I was out for a walk in the mountains when I heard a scream from the mines. I went to inspect it and she fell out of the elevator in this condition and I've been trying to keep her awake since. I have no idea what she was doing down there this late," Shane explained and gently rested the farmer onto the examination table when Harvey indicated.

"Regardless of her intentions, she is very lucky that you were right there, Shane," Harvey noted, prepping gauze to wipe the blood from the farmer's face. "You can leave now, I can handle it from here."

"I want to stay." His answer shocked them both, but Shane stuck by it. "I want to be here when she wakes up." He offered no explanation, but thankfully Harvey didn't ask for one. He simply nodded once and gestured to the cot behind a curtain.

"Go ahead and lie down. I can wake you up when I am done."

"Thank you," Shane breathed, feeling suddenly exhausted. He made his way to the cot and pulled the curtain closed behind him and awkwardly laid down on the table. It wasn't comfortable, no, but at this point he would take anything. Shane tried his best to block out the pained noises emanating from the unconscious farmer as he slowly drifted to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song in the title is Still Breathing by Green Day!
> 
> Get it? Cause she's still breathing, still alive...? ha ahah aha
> 
> But really :)

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! This chapter is a little short, but I'll do my best to provide many chapters to read eventually! I am a college student nearing finals week, so your patience will be appreciated until I'm done with the semester.  
> I will basically be chronicling Piper moving to Stardew Valley, encountering (most of) the townspeople (I'll see), and then get through Shane's heart events before branching off into some "post-game" stuff that I wish would happen. Send me any suggestions you may have, because I am always looking for new ideas to write about!
> 
> Title song is Dog Days Are Over by Florence and the Machine!


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